Document 27A: Baltimore YWCA, Minutes of Metropolitan Board Meeting, 19 January 1920, unprocessed collection of YWCA of Greater Baltimore, 128 W. Franklin Street, by Young Women's Christian Association. Included in How Did a Multi-Racial Movement Develop in the Baltimore YWCA, 1883-1926?, by Kimberly Crandall Bowling and Kriste Lindenmeyer. (Binghamton, NY: State University of New York at Binghamton, 2003).

These minutes and the subsequent Affiliation Agreement (see Document 27B) describe the new relationship
that developed between the Baltimore YWCA and the Colored YWCA when the latter
became a branch Y in 1920. Structurally, there was little change from the period
of affiliation, as a committee of ten (five white and five black) continued
to govern the relationship between the two Y's, with a white member of the group
acting as chair. Once again, the Treasurer of the Colored Branch operated under
the direction of the white Treasurer of the YWCA of Baltimore City.

From the documents one gains glimpses
of the delicate "racial etiquette" that operated as white and black women
in the Baltimore YWCA's interacted. Notice that the chair of the affiliating
committee was to be white and she served on the board of the Baltimore YWCA.
This arrangement insured that no black leader would serve on the parent Y's
board. This arrangement did provide for an interracial Affiliating Committee,
but not an integrated YWCA. No doubt the National Board of the YWCA in establishing
general guidelines for affiliation displayed sensitivity to Southern "racial
etiquette" in these matters. The second aspect of race relations evident here
is the fact that the black Y had to turn over ownership of all its property
to the white Y as it became a branch. In the initial arrangements established
here a black treasurer continued to exercise financial responsibility for
the branch Y, "for the present," though it was clear that more direct white
control might develop subsequently.

Despite these accommodations to
racial hierarchy in Baltimore, the branch Y's "committee of management" consisted
entirely of "colored women chosen by colored women" and was authorized to
"direct and control the affairs and work" of the branch Y. While we do not
know the details of any negotiations in this period, this arrangement may
well have been an accommodation to a proud group of black clubwomen determined
to continue to control the branch Y they had worked so hard to build over
more than two decades. The substantial authority of black leaders to determine
branch policies was reflected in developments at the national level for the
YWCA as Lugenia Burns Hope of Atlanta spoke for black YWCA leaders more generally
in calling on the National Board to address a series of their concerns.[20]

METROPOLITAN BOARD
MEETING.
JANUARY 19, 1920.

The
regular meeting of the Metropolitan Board was held on Monday, January 19th,
at eleven o’clock, the following members present:-

Mrs. Cator.

Mrs. Gibson

Miss Carter.

Mrs. Motley.

Mrs. Stinson.

Miss Fischer.

Mrs. Ramsay.

Mrs. Keech.

Mrs. Evans.

Mrs. Baker.

Mrs. Mathews.

Mrs. Dill.

Mrs. Carey.

Mrs.
Motley led the devotional service.

The
minutes were read and accepted on motion.

The
Treasurer’s Report was read and on motion approved.

On
motion it was decided to open an account at the Mercantile Trust & Deposit
Co. for the funds now being received.

Mrs.
Cator announced the resignation of Miss Inglis.

Miss
Rogers presented the plan of the League of Women voters and reported the
first annual meeting of that body to be held in Chicago this next summer.
Each state when Suffrage exists has chairman of the League and each state
attains membership in the League as suffrage is gained. The object of the
League is to further such general interests as Child Welfare, Social Hygiene,
American Citizenship, etc. The platform includes naturalization of women
in their own right to direct citizenship, each citizen to take an oath of
allegiance to United States, before being permitted to vote. Miss Rogers
laid stress on the fact that the League of Women voters by its affiliation
with the Suffrage Association must be non partisan, standing for measures
and not for any party.

* * *

Mrs.
Bruce the retiring Chairman of the Affiliating Committee of the Colored
Y.W.C.A. reported that on Mr. Ritchie’s advice a paper was drawn up dissolving
the colored Y.W.C.A and making it a branch of the Y.W.C.A. of Baltimore
City with representation on the Metropolitan Board through the Chairman
of an Affiliating Committee[,] this Committee five (white) to be appointed
by the President of the Metropolitan Board and five members appointed by
the Branch Chairman for Colored women. This Committee shall be appointed
for a term of one year. The Colored Y.W.C.A. transfers its property in full
to the Y.W.C.A. of Baltimore to be used for colored women and girls. A Colored
woman is to be elected by the Committee of Management which is to be composed
of colored women chosen by colored women, and this Treasurer is to act as
Assistant Treasurer of the Y.W.C.A. of Baltimore City. She is to act as
treasurer of the Colored Branch which for the present is to collect and
administer its own funds. On motion the contract was adopted unanimously.